There is a saying, ‘Love your friends and hate your enemies.’ But I say: Love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!” Matthew 5:43-44
As I scanned through my Twitter feed the past few days, I was repeatedly reminded of this verse. As the “enemies” of our country’s current leadership heap hatred and vitriol on the president and his administration, I wonder, do they not see their own hypocrisy? Do they not realize that they are guilty of many of the same things they accuse him of?
Love your enemies!
Pray for those who persecute you!”
Matthew 5:45-48 goes on to say, “In that way you will be acting as true sons of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust too. If you love only those who love you, what good is that? Even scoundrels do that much. If you are friendly only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even the heathen do that. But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.
If you love only those who
love you, what good is that?
Even scoundrels do that much.
The following verse also often comes to mind. (Thank you Twitter!)
“Don’t criticize and then you won’t be criticized. For others will treat you as you treat them. And why worry about a speck in the eye of a brother when you have a board in your own? Should you say, Friend let me help you get that speck out of your eye, when you can’t even see because of the board in your own? Hypocrite! First get rid of the board. Then you can see to help your brother. Matthew 7:1-5
While I’m unfollowing the “mean Tweeters” I’m thinking I should pray for them. I’m also thinking what a different world, certainly a different country, we would have, if we all prayed for our enemies as well as ourselves and our friends. If we could all let go of our own egos and pettiness and finger-pointing.
I know one person can’t change the world, but I also know the change I want to see starts with me.
the change I want to see starts with me
#friends #enemies #Twitter
Bible verses taken from The Way, The Living Bible
Find me on Twitter @barbmeyers and @ajtillock
And on Facebook at BarbaraMeyersAuthorPage
